Cooking range top for stoves or ranges



April 10, 1934. C. H; HOFFSTETTER El AL ,174

COOKING RANGE TOP FOR STOVES OR RANGES Filed Jan. 20, 1932 2Sheets-Sheet l cam. H- HUF'F'iTETTL'R ROBERT narrirzrren ATTORNEY April1934- c. H. HOFFSTEIZTTER ET AL 1,954,174

' COOKING, RANGE TOP FOR STOVES OR RANGES Filed Jan. 20. 1932 .2Sheets-Shet 2 INVENTOR cam. H- HUFF'ETEfTER 'napsnrr narrsrr rflATTORNEY Patented Apr. 10, 1934 UNITED STATES COOKING RANGE TOP FORSTOVES OR RANGES Carl H. Hofi'stetter and Robert F. Hoflstetter,

I Erie,

Application January 20,

' 1 Claim.

This invention relates to certain improvements in gas ranges, and moreparticularly to the main cooking tops, and their covering and protectingmembers, which permit use of the cooking tops as table surfaces. Atpresent such cover members comprise foldable cover plates or membershingedly attached to the stove, and serve when unfolded as splashboards. Such construction and use of the cover members increases theminimum height of the stove, and often interferes with proper placementof the stove within a limited area especially where it is desirable thatsuch stove occupy a recessed wall space of limited height. Furthermore,hinged cover members of the kind described require specific interlockingmeans with the stove body .to prevent accidental folding of the covermember during cooking op erations and injury to the operator and aretherefore costly in manufacturing and assembly. The

general object of the present invention is to provide a cover member forthe cooking top of a stove or gas range which is practical in use, ofsimple and sturdy design and construction, and readily and cheaplyproduced. Another object of the invention is to provide a tray-likecover member. preferably a metal stamping constructed and proportionedor shaped to enclose and rest upon the grates of the cooking top, and tosafeguard the cover member against bending and consequent cracking ofits enameled, or painted surface.

A further object is to provide such cover member or tray with handles topermit of more readily handling the former. A still further object is toprovide the end walls of the cover member with recesses adapted tointerlock with the side walls of a stove drawer, when placed thereon,all as hereinafter more fully described in the following description ofan exemplified form of the invention, and as more concisely pointed outin the appended claim.

In the accompanying drawings, Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a gasrange with a tray-like cover member according to the invention coveringthe main cooking top. Fig. 2 is a fragmentary sectional view of the topportion of the stove of Fig. 1, showing the cover member resting uponthe grates of the main cooking portion. Fig. 3 is a perspective view ofa gas range showing the drawer extended and the tray-like cover memberresting on the drawer and interlocked therewith. Fig. 4 is a perspectiveview of the tray-like cover member and Fig. 5 is a fragmentaryperspective 5 view of the drawer showing the recessed flange 1932,Serial No. 587,712

of the cover member on a side wall portion of the drawer.

To illustrate the invention we have shown a gas kitchen range Acomprising a top tion 2, a drawer section 3 therebeneath, and the commonbaking and broiler oven sections 4 and 5 respectively. These sectionsare supported by a frame 6 which atits lower corners carries legs '7.Top burner section 2 and burners 8 therein are covered by a top bedplate 9 which extends over the entire width of the stove and is providedwith a rectangular opening 10 centrally arranged with respect to anddirectly above the top burner section 2. The opening 10 is bordered bynarrowrecessed or flanged seat portions 11 which portions receive andsupport the grates 14 of the cooking top. The grates 14 are spacedslightly from the wall 11' of recessed seat portions 11 thus providing aspace 25 surrounding the grates for a purpose hereinafter described. Atray-like cover member C, having a centrally recessed portion 26 adaptedto snugly seat pots and pans and the like, conceals the grates andopening 10 when the cooking top is not in use for cooking. This combinedtray and cover member C is provided with handles 15 adapted tofacilitate lifting of said member when used as a tray to transportarticles from one side of the stove to the other or to some distantpoint. When used to conceal opening 10 in bed plate 9, as well as grates14, member C seats with its inner depressed or recessed body portion 16upon the raised rib portions 17 of-the grates 14 so that the outerperipheral flange 18 of said cover member partially enters the space 25,but never contacts with or seats upon the recessed seat portion 11 ofstove bed plate 9. The ribs 17 of grates 14 support and prevent crackingof the painted or enameled tray member C, and consequently the latterwill always present an orderly and neat appearance. The danger ofcracking or chippingthe tray finish by subjecting the tray to unevenstresses is eliminated by virtue of the fact that the tray is evenlysupported. The lower edge of peripheral flange 18 is maintained wellabove the surface of bed plate 9 and also above any accumulation ofgrease or dirt which may build up in space 25.

When not in use the cover member C, as previously explained, may serveas a tray member, for instance to carry hot pots or pans or othercooking utensils from the range, or such cover member may be placed onthe extended service drawer D and thus form additional resting space forpots and pans used during cooking operations.

burner sec- In fact, the drawer, as thus converted, is the equivalent ofa table top. To prevent accidental dislocation of the tray or covermember C when placed upon the upper edges of the side walls 19 ofservice drawer D, the end flanges 12 of the tray are notched at 20.These notches are of suiiicient depth and width to snugly receive theupper edges of side walls 21,so that the tray will be locked againstlateral movement with respect to the service drawer. Attention is alsocalled to the fact that tray or cover member C is only slightly longerthan the service drawer D and that therefore longitudinal displacementof the tray with respect to drawer D is prevented by the end walls ofthe drawer.

What we claim, is:

A cover member for the top of a cooking stove, having a cooking openingin its top anda service drawer with vertical side walls, comprising animperforate tray-like member adapted to seat uponsaid top for concealingthe cooking opening therein, said cover member being of greater widththan the width of said service drawer and including a flanged portioncircumferentially extending downwardly therefrom and notched at oppositesides to permit said cover member to rest upon and interlock with theside walls of said service drawer.

' CARL H. HOFFS'I'E'ITER.

ROBERT F. HOFFSTE'I'IER.

